Limerick's hopes of reaching Division 1B National Camogie League final scuppered in Dublin defeat

“WE JUST didn't get off the blocks at the start and left ourselves too much to do in the second half,” was manager Dave Deady's reaction as Limerick senior camogie team's attempt to get promoted from Division 1B of the Centra National League were dashed by a comprehensive 2-17 to 2-8 defeat to Dublin in their final round fixture under the Abbotstown sunshine on Saturday.

Cheered on by the non-stop cheers of underage club teams making up most of the attendance of 500, the hosts had the result all but put to bed by the quarter hour with a series of blistering attacks before Limerick found their feet and traded blow-for-blow over the rest of the hour.

While it was a disappointing end to a league campaign for a Limerick side that rattled off four wins out of five in their previous outings and were only denied a fifth by a Clare goal off the last puck of their game, it marked a change in the Shannonsiders fortunes as a much-changed squad, dominated by newcomers from underage grade, outperformed what had been expected of them before the season started under a new management set-up.

Going into the serious business of the championship, Limerick manager Deady and his charges will be hoping to build on an attitude that refused to lie down against more experienced opponents seeking to reverse their surprise relegation from Division 1A last season.

Dublin tore into the action straight from the throw-in and took an immediate lead with Aisling O'Neill's point on the run.

After Aisling Maher followed up with a free for the Dubs, a shellshocked Limerick were trailing by five inside four minutes when Grace O'Shea burst onto a pass, before blasting the sliotar beyond the reach of Sarah Gillane's outstretched hurley.

After O'Shea tacked on a point from play, Maher sent over a pair of frees either side of Sarah Power sending the puckout back between the posts for Dublin.

The home side stamped their superiority with a vengeance when Maher won a tussle for a ball dropping short, before rounding a challenge and whacking the sliotar into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.

Only then did Limerick get a chance to settle, opening their account after their four previous chances had gone wide with Lizzie Boylan's point off a solo up the cnetre.

After Sinéad's Wylde replied for Dublin, Limerick edged back another notch with Donna Kenny's pointed free. Coming up to the break, O'Shea replied for the Dubs, but Limerick struck back when Laura Southern burst onto a pass coming in from the wing and slotted just inside the far post.

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However, Wylde's point on the stroke of half-time left Dublin heading into the dressing-room with a 10-point lead, 2-9 to 1-2.

The sides cancelled each other out as they tried to gain early advantage from the restart but, after Maher's immediate pointed free was answered by a score from Boylan.

However, points from Aisling Gannon and O'Neill had the Dublin lead back out to a significant 13 points.

The subs began to appear from both sides but, coming up to the three quarter mark after Kenny's pointed free was cancelled out by an enormous point from Niamh Gannon, Limerick ended a run of missed chances and brought some jeopardy back into the proceedings when Boylan blazed in from the left onto Dearbhla Egan's pass and rattled the net with a powerful shot into the far corner of the net.

However, Limerick attempts to cut the deficit further floundered on tight Dublin defending. When Maher sent over a free after Aisling Gannon and Rebecca Delee swapped points, the scoring contined with Karrie Finnegan's point on the run.

The outcome had already been settled and the both sides used up their allocation of eight replacements. All that was left for the closing minutes' play were Orlaith Kelleher's point on the burst adding to Delee's pointed free and an exchange of points between Emma Moran and Ciara Curtin to finish the scoring.

SCORERS: DUBLIN: Aisling Moore 1-5 (0-5 frees), Grace O'Shea 1-2, Aisling O'Neill, Aisling Gannon, Sinéad Wylde, Gaby Couch 0-2 each, Sarah Power, Niamh Gannon, Kerrie Finnegan, Emma Moran 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Lizzie Boylan 1-2, Laura Southern 1-0, Donna Kenny (2 frees), Rebecca Delee 0-2 each, Orlaith Kelleher, Ciara Curtin 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: Ciara Jones; Emily Adderly, Eve O'Brien, Emma O'Byrne; Sarah Power, Niamh Gannon, Claire Gannon; Sinéad Wylde, Gaby Couch; Jody Couch, Kerrie Flanagan, Grace O'Shea; Aisling O'Neill, Aisling Gannon, Aisling Maher. SUBS: Emma Moran for Grace O'Shea (39 minutes), Grainne Sexton for Niamh Comerford (41 minutes), Aoife Higgins for Emma O'Byrne (43 minutes), Eimear Keogh for Aisling Maher (54 minutes), Niamh Roche for Sarah Power (58 minutes), Jennifer Moore for Jody Couch (58 minutes), Caitlín McKenna for Aisling Gannon (58 minutes), Hannah Leddy for Eve O'Brien (59 minutes).

LIMERICK: Sarah Gillane; Teresa Dore, Shauna Cunningham, Ellie Woulfe; Sophie O'Callaghan, Stephanie Woulfe, Eimear O'Donovan; Ailbhe Larkin, Orlaith Kelleher; Donna Kenny, Rebecca Delee, Lizzie Boylan; Laura Southern, Ella Hession, Sarah O'Brien. SUBS: Ciara O'Riordan for Teresa Dore (half-time), Dearbhla Egan for Ella Hession (42 minutes), Emily O'Halloran for Sophie O'Callaghan (43 minutes), Ciara Curtin for Donna Kenny (48 minutes), Aoife Corbett for Sarah Gillane (54 minutes), Noelle Curtin for Laura Southern (55 minutes), Áine Foley for Ellie Woulfe (58 minutes), Muireann Leahy for Eimear O'Donovan (58 minutes).

REFEREE: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).